Ministry of Overseas Development Eland House Stag Place London SW1E 5DH
Telephone 01-828 4366 ext
Mr Hurrell Mr Ashton Mr Dunnill
Mr Bawden
Mr McLaren
59
Richard Manning Esq
Head
SEADD
British Embassy Bangkok
HKK 026/1
RECEIVED JA Ten
INDEX
Read Puchart,
21
2 5 OCT 1978
-Your reference
Our reference
ate
10. 51
REGIOTRY
Action T
NRA 314/317/04
24 Cctober 1978
for Thompson 823/10
Thank you for your letter dated 11 October.
Although we
were unable to meet in London during your recent leave I was aware of the discussions about NR staffing and the outcome is acceptable to me.
2.
To bring you up to date we've now had the Civil Service trawl for your Assistant NR Adviser and, although there was one or two promising candidates, we felt that we had to go to open competition. This is in the hands of CSD and hopefully the advert should appear soon with an 8-week closing date. It would seem therefore that the Board should take place as soon as possible after Xmas. Depending on the availability of the successful candidate and his acceptance by you, he might, with a bit of luck, be in post after Easter.
3. I'm afraid that is the soonest we can predict that you'll have some-one to relieve the pressure on Tony Peers. Tony Thorne has reported to me that Tony Peers was not his usual relaxed self during the recent Indonesia visit and I am aware of the factors which may be contributing to this; I'll drop Tony a line.
4.
me.
On the question of the future of your post-harvest adviser, it is as well that Philip Spensley will be visiting SEADD before
As I understand it, the SEADD Staff Inspection concluded that the need for this post had to be reviewed when Jack Dawson's present tour was finished. By the time of my vist we should have the latest thinking, including Philip Spensley's, on this subject.
5. That brings me to the timing of my visit to Bangkok. Our Travel Section have come up with an itinerary whereby I and David Hall, Environmental Adviser, are due to arrive in Bangkok on Monday morning 19 February and depart for Hong Kong in the morning of Saturday 24 February; this would give us 4 clear work- ing days. I reckon 2 days to discuss Devdiv business would suffice thus leaving another two days to fit in any visits which you and Tony consider would be desirable.
16.